Admissions

JD Program Application Instructions

Application intructions for 2009-2010

» Apply online using the LSAC electronic application service

Please be sure to review the detailed application instructions as you complete the application. (Available below and in the LSAC application.)

Application Checklist

The following items are required. We will notify you via email when your materials have been received. This email notification will include instructions on how to check your file status online.

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Application Fee Waivers

We will be unable to consider fee waiver requests received after February 15, 2010. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible. Application fee waivers are granted one-time-only. If you were granted a fee waiver for a previous term, you would not be eligible to receive future application fee waivers from Duke Law School. We are unable to accept merit-based fee waiver requests.

Automatic fee waivers: If you received a waiver of the fees associated with taking the LSAT, we will waive your application fee automatically.

Need-based fee waivers: Dowload the Fee Waiver Form, complete it, and return it by e-mail (admissions@law.duke.edu). A decision on your need-based fee waiver must be received prior to submitting the application electronically, so plan ahead. If you submit the application prior to receiving a decision on your fee waiver request, the request will be denied. Notification will be provided via email.

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Academic Transcripts

All applicants must register with the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS). Credential Assembly Service information is included in the LSAC Law School Admission Information Book or online at www.LSAC.org. Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted directly to the Credential Assembly Service.

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Foreign Transcripts

Duke Law School requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the Credential Assembly Service if you received your degree from an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you completed the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada. This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your Law School Report. Log in to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the JD CAS can be directed to LSAC at 215-968-1001, or lsacinfo@lsac.org.

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Law School Admission Test

All applicants must take the LSAT no later than December 2009. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2004 will not be considered. Duke considers all LSAT scores that are submitted, in the context of the entire application (transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of leadership and engagement, and other information). In the case of multiple test scores, data show that the average score is generally the most useful in predicting law school performance. However, Duke may place greater weight on a high score if the applicant provides compelling information about why that score is a better indication of his or her potential. If you feel that one or more of your test scores does not accurately reflect your ability or potential, please explain this disparity in a separate attachment.

Supplemental Material

If you wish to send additional material after submitting your electronic application, please forward it to our office via email at admissions@law.duke.edu. Your email should include your name and LSAC number. Additional letters of recommendation may be submitted electronically via LSAC or mailed directly to our office.

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Reapplications

To reapply, you must submit a new application and updated supporting material. Note on the application where indicated the year for which you last sought admission. Recommendation letters previously submitted can be used for the new application. Applications are maintained for one year after the application term.

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Bar Admission

We recommend that you investigate the rules governing bar admission in the jurisdictions where you intend to practice. Information about bar admission requirements may be obtained by contacting the appropriate state board of bar examiners.

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Application Instructions

Please read the following instructions carefully before preparing each section of your application.

Section 1: Application Processing Fee

The application fee is $70. Credit card or debit card payments submitted with the electronic application are required. The application processing fee is non-refundable.

Section 2: Personal Information

Complete this section in full. Submit updates to your contact information directly to the Office of Admissions via e-mail at admissions@law.duke.edu

Section 3: Decision Cycle

Please select the decision cycle in which you would like to have your application reviewed.

Regular Decision: The deadline to apply through the regular decision cycle is February 15, 2010. You may apply for either a summer-entry or fall-entry program through the regular decision cycle.

Early Decision: The Early Decision program is most appropriate for candidates who have concluded that Duke is their first choice for law school and who do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. Candidates who apply through the Early Decision program may apply to other law schools, but are not permitted to apply to other binding early decision programs. If admitted to Duke Law School, Early Decision candidates will be required to immediately withdraw their applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit by January 8, 2010.

Early Decision candidates must apply no later than November 2, 2009. Applications must be complete no later than November 13, 2009. Duke Law School will notify Early Decision candidates about their status no later than December 31, 2009. Some Early Decision candidates may be Aheld@ for review in the regular cycle; candidates who are held for consideration in the regular cycle will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement. Duke Law School reserves the right to provide other law schools with the names of candidates admitted through the binding Early Decision program.

Early Decision candidates must also check the Early Decision Certification checkbox in Section 12.

Section 4: Degree Program Selection

You may apply to only one program. Check the one box indicating the degree program to which you are applying. Admission to one program is not transferable to another.

Applicants seeking admission to the following fall-entry dual degree programs must also submit a separate application to the appropriate Duke University graduate or professional school: JD/MD, JD/MEM, JD/MPP, JD/MTS, or JD/PhD. (JD/PhD programs are available in Political Science and Philosophy.) Contact the graduate or professional school directly to obtain application and admission requirements. Visit our website for additional information on dual degrees.

Applicants to the JD/MBA program must submit the separate joint electronic application form.

Please do not apply to a summer entry program if you will be unable to begin the program in late May. Applicants seeking admission to the following summer-entry dual-degree programs should submit an application to the Law School only: JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law; JD/MA in Art History, Classical Studies, Cultural Anthropology, East Asian Studies, Economics, English, Environmental Science and Policy, History, Humanities, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Romance Studies, or Sociology; or JD/MS in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. The GRE is not required for applicants seeking admission to these summer-entry dual-degree programs.

For JD/MA and JD/MS applications, please attach an additional statement of purpose for the master's degree. This should be one to two pages outlining your background in the discipline and interest in the master's degree. It is primarily intended to assist the Graduate School department in reviewing the application, so it is not required to address the connection between your legal studies and master's degree studies. JD/LLM candidates are not required to submit a statement of purpose for the LLM; however, we encourage applicants to address their interest in international and comparative law, either in their personal statement or in a JD/LLM addendum.

The International Development Policy program expects applicants to have at least three years of related work experience and an interest in a related career. In addition to the MA statement of interest, applicants to the JD/MA in IDP should submit a one-page essay analyzing a policy decision in their home country or in a developing country.

The GRE is required for applicants seeking admission to the JD/MA in Engineering Management. This summer-entry dual degree program also requires you to submit separate applications to both the Law School and the Pratt School of Engineering.

Section 5: Applicant Status

Please indicate whether you are a first-time applicant to Duke Law School, or if you have applied previously. If you were a previous applicant, please indicate the term(s) for which you applied for admission.

Section 6: LSAT and TOEFL

Please provide the dates you took or will take the LSAT. All applicants must take the LSAT no later than December 2009. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2004 will not be considered. Contact LSAC to request material at 215-968-1001 or www.lsac.org. Duke does not waive the LSAT requirement.

If applicable, please indicate the dates you took or will take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). You must take the TOEFL if your first language is not English AND your undergraduate degree was obtained outside the United States. Submit a copy of your most recent TOEFL report directly to our office; do not submit via LSAC or request an original from ETS. International applicants with graduate degrees in the U. S. are not eligible for TOEFL waivers.

Section 7: Educational and Professional History

Provide the name, city, and state of the high school where you earned your secondary diploma. Provide the names and locations of all colleges and universities you have attended, dates of attendance, major, degrees earned, and date the degree was awarded.

Please list up to four significant jobs or positions of responsibility, beginning with the current or most recent. Indicate the number of hours worked per week if the activity was during the school year. Please provide this information even if the jobs and/or activities are listed on your resume.

Section 8: Family Information

Complete the information requested regarding your family.

Section 9: Conduct

Duke Law requires a candidate to reveal knowledge of all criminal incidents or disciplinary charges, even if expunged, sealed, or otherwise removed from the candidate's records. When in doubt, you should err on the side of full disclosure, as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully and accurately answer these questions may have serious consequences. Failure to disclose information is often more significant than the act or event described in the questions. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Law School of any changes to your answers after submission of your application, may result in any of the following: misconduct investigation by the LSAC; revocation of admission; disciplinary action by the Law School; and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer yes to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If an offer of admission is extended to you, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.

If you answer yes to any of the questions, you must provide a supplementary statement including details, the current status of any disciplinary action or judicial sanctions, and the final resolution of the issues involved. If you answer yes to question 1, you will also be required to have a dean, registrar, department supervisor, judicial officer, or academic officer with access to official records from your institution submit a letter that provides complete information about the incident.

Section 10: Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essay, and Recommendations

Resume: You must submit a current resume with your application. Your resume should include your full name at the top and list all honors and awards you have received. Include dates for all items listed on your resume. There is no required length.

Personal Statement: You are required to submit a personal statement. The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include (1) what you think have been your significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your resume, and (2) your personal and career ambitions. There is no required length.

Optional Essays: You are welcome to supplement your personal statement with optional essays. You may submit a Duke-specific essay by letting us know why you want to go to law school and why you have decided to apply to Duke. You may also choose to submit an essay that describes how you will enhance the educational environment of the Law School and contribute to the diversity of the student body. Because we believe that diversity enriches the educational experience of all our students, Duke Law School seeks to admit students from a variety of academic, cultural, social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. If you choose to submit the diversity essay, tell us more about your particular life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives that you have acquired would contribute to the intellectual community of the Law School.

Recommendation Letters: At least two recommendation letters must be submitted through LSAC. References from friends, family friends, and relatives are discouraged. Professors who have personal knowledge of your academic performance and potential should write your letters of recommendation. If you have been out of school for some time, you may substitute letters from employers or others who are well acquainted with your personal traits and intellectual potential. A signature is required on all letters of recommendation submitted, preferably on letterhead.

LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service: This service is included in your Credential Assembly Service registration and will accept generic and school specific letters. Letters submitted on your behalf are copied and included with your Law School Report. To use this service, follow the directions outlined in the Law School Admission Information Book or at www.lsac.org.

Direct Letters to Duke: You must submit at least two letters of recommendation through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. Additional letters may be submitted through LSAC or mailed directly to Duke..

Section 11: Conditions of Application and Signature

Applications will not be processed without a signature agreeing to the Conditions and certifying that the information is true and complete. You are obligated to notify the Office of Admissions immediately of any change in the information provided.

Section 12: Early Decision Certification


Read this section carefully and check the Early Decision Certification box if you wish to apply through the binding Early Decision program. In addition, please select the appropriate decision cycle in Section 3.